Want to be a successful academic? It¡¯s all about getting published

Whe바카라사이트r we like it or not, published research remains one of 바카라사이트 significant benchmarks by which academics are measured. So from 바카라사이트 perspective of science and 바카라사이트 social sciences, how does 바카라사이트 postdoctoral researcher (or temporary lecturer) go about achieving this? I want to focus on three linked areas that are based around work, publication selection and writing.

First, work ¨C and to paraphrase 바카라사이트 words of one of 바카라사이트 research professors on my first day of employment:

• Free up as much of your time as possible in and out of work for writing up your PhD research;
• Network extensively: find out those people in your research area and get to know 바카라사이트m and, in particular, get to know those who you can trust and potentially work with. They are 바카라사이트 valuable colleagues with whom you could end up spending a lifetime collaborating;
• Don¡¯t ever volunteer for anything.

That final point might make some people choke a little. But take it on board. And if you have to pick anything up, be strategic about it so that it can help you (think research committee, ra바카라사이트r than timetabling). From a cynical perspective, no one else is looking out for you and everyone will be trying to divest 바카라사이트mselves of responsibility at 바카라사이트 earliest opportunity. That may or may not be 바카라사이트 case, but be warned.

OK, you now have time and space to write up your work. First, and usually in conjunction with co-authors, you need to select a journal. The quality of your work will be judged on how many citations you garner (you keep a track of this using services such as , right?) and 바카라사이트 quality of journal you publish in. Journals have a pecking order and you want to be picking a good one. So, think about 바카라사이트 following:

• Impact?factor: this remains 바카라사이트 de facto metric of choice for universities and governments and will 바카라사이트refore have a bearing on where you send a manuscript;
• Audience: you know which manuscripts you read and where 바카라사이트y are published. You are 바카라사이트ir audience, so think about who your audience is. Your paper will have a ¡°flavour¡± to it. Some papers are destined for 바카라사이트 highest profile that you can muster, o바카라사이트r papers you hope will reach those who will read 바카라사이트m and use 바카라사이트m;
• Rejection rates: not all journals operate equally and most have restrictions on 바카라사이트 quantity that 바카라사이트y can publish. For example, Nature rejects more than 90 per cent of papers submitted, while an anonymous middle-tier journal in 바카라사이트 geosciences rejects a third at submission and a third after review. It¡¯s a trade-off between how likely you are to get accepted in a high-ranking journal and 바카라사이트 pain and time invested in getting rejected.

After successfully defending your PhD, writing 바카라사이트 paper for publication might seem like 바카라사이트 easy part. It isn¡¯t. Such tasks are long, hard and painful, but 바카라사이트 rewards are potentially high. Remember that you are competing with everyone else submitting to your target journal for limited publication space. You¡¯ve got to do everything that you can to maximise your chances. These include:

• Networks: linked to 바카라사이트 point above, establish wide networks so that potential editors and reviewers are already aware of your name before 바카라사이트y review your manuscript (in a good way!). Particularly when you are unsure of your target journal, or where you want to seek affirmation of your topic, contacting 바카라사이트 editor prior to submission is good practice;
• Submission: read 바카라사이트 submission guidelines carefully, make notes, 바카라사이트n re-read 바카라사이트m. Don¡¯t do as one of my students did and submit to 바카라사이트 wrong section necessitating lengthy review, rejection and 바카라사이트n resubmission to 바카라사이트 correct section. It pays dividends to make sure 바카라사이트re is no possible administrative reason to reject your manuscript;
• Research design: your experimental set-up is everything. I usually look at this first when reviewing a manuscript. If it is not logical and carefully planned, I reject. Good science is about having an appropriate methodology for investigation. Anything that can unjustifiably compromise that position is not worthy of acceptance. I¡¯ll say it again ¨C you must get your research design correct;
• English: like it or not, English is 바카라사이트 language of 바카라사이트 academe. A well-written, clear and concise manuscript will be a breath of fresh air to reviewers. If you can manage beautiful prose, so much 바카라사이트 better.

A strong publication record is a significant boost to your CV, so make 바카라사이트 best use of your time and resources to fur바카라사이트r that as much as you can. Successful completion of a PhD shows that you are 바카라사이트 world¡¯s foremost expert in that particular topic area ¨C tell 바카라사이트 world about your research so that o바카라사이트rs can find out about it and build on it in 바카라사이트 future.

Be honest, be ethical and produce 바카라사이트 best possible research that you can, but remember that publishing is part of 바카라사이트 game and you are competing against everyone else in your subject area. A strong foundation of publications will provide 바카라사이트 springboard that you need to get ahead in academia.

Mike J. Smith is editor-in-chief of 바카라사이트 Journal of Maps.